It’s the last full week before Thanksgiving, and the time of year when many of us are looking forward to spending time with family, friends and loved ones. We know your to-do list is long. But, if you’re searching for new professional opportunities in IT, there is still much you can do to put yourself in an ideal position to find your next great job.
While it’s true that hiring seems to slow down as people take some much-needed time off, now is the perfect time of year to lay the foundation for future opportunities. Here are the five most important things job seekers should be doing during the holiday season to improve their chances – all year long.
1) Don’t be afraid to take advantage of social gatherings to do some informal networking. Of course you don’t want to spend all of your time talking about yourself (or work), but it’s perfectly acceptable to let people know that you’re searching for new professional opportunities.
2) Take this opportunity to reconnect with former colleagues, friends and co-workers. It’s natural to send out personal notes to people during the holidays. If you’ve fallen out of touch with someone that might be a potential mentor or great professional connection, it’s okay to reach out at this time with a friendly greeting. You can gauge their level of interest, and follow up more formally later.
3) Expect the slow down in response times, and don’t get discouraged. Feel free to send out your resume. You can even ask for informational interviews. Just remember that although it might take a little longer to get a reply, your efforts won’t go unnoticed.
4) Make your extra time off work for you. Now is a great time to spruce up your resume, update your social media profiles, and do research on the companies you’d like to work for. Taking this time to polish your professional image will pay off later, when people get back to work after the holidays.
5) Be savvy about which industry areas are most likely to be searching for candidates. Keep in mind that hiring is still happening in advance of the next quarter cycle in the government and nonprofit sectors, for example, to fill funded positions before the end of the fiscal budget year.
This holiday season, we invite you to visit our social media homes at Market Street Talent on Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+ and Twitter! You’ll also find great leads for job seekers by visiting our jobs page. Or, send us your resume. We wish you a happy and productive season!